Satellite images reveal damage caused by Western airstrikes in Syria

The airstrikes launched by the US, UK and France on Friday night caused extensive damage in Syria, according to satellite images that were released by an Israeli company. The before and after pictures show the main sites that were attacked in the coordinated military operation.

Photo credit: ImageSat International (ISI)

ImageSat International released early Sunday morning satellite images that reveal the damage caused by the missiles launched in the Western attack on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons program. In some of the photographs, the extensive damage to the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, which was one of the main targets, is seen.

Before and after pictures of the Barzah scientific research center, another target, were released as well. At this facility, three buildings were destroyed.

On Saturday, the Security Council rejected a resolution proposed by Russia condemning the Western military operation in Syria. At the emergency meeting that was called following the strikes, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley defended the operation and deemed it a success. She also stressed that the US will act again if necessary, saying that Washington remains “locked and loaded.”

Russia, China and Bolivia voted in favor of the rejected resolution. Four countries abstained while eight voted it down.

On Friday night, the US, Britain and France launched coordinated airstrikes targeting sites linked to Assad’s chemical weapons program. Using over 100 missiles, the three allies targeted eight facilities including a chemical weapons storage site west of Homs. US Vice President Mike Pence warned Assad on Saturday against using chemical weapons again. “To be clear, the US is also ready to take additional action in a sustained way to ensure that Syria understands that there will be a price to pay if they ever use chemical weapons again,” he said from Peru.

US President Donald Trump stressed as he announced the military action that the airstrikes were designed to discourage further production and use of chemical weapons. “Establishing this deterrent is a vital national security interest of the United States,” he stated. “The combined American, British, and French response to these atrocities will integrate all instruments of our national power — military, economic and diplomatic. We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents.”